For some college students, summer is a time to stay up late, go on vacation, and relax before starting the next school year. Nolan Hays, a senior at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, had a different idea: use the summer to learn. Hays, raised in Knox County, is looking forward to finishing his degree in Information Technology with a focus in web and mobile programming and plans to graduate in May 2025.

As WIN Energy REMC’s IT intern, Hays had a lot to learn, not only about IT but also about the electrical industry and the cooperative business model. He said, “The co-op environment is interesting. You’re not competing with other cooperatives.” Hays likes the idea of co-ops working together for a common goal of providing electricity to rural residents and businesses.

Besides learning more about being a part of an electric cooperative, Hays said that the internship allowed him to develop his professional and technical skills and be in an environment he isn’t used to.

Over the last couple of months, he has had several opportunities to increase his knowledge of the IT world. One of Hays’ biggest projects was creating the intranet site, a network for WIN Energy employees to utilize to better connect with fellow coworkers. He also worked on automating forms and procedures and data analysis. Besides working on the IT side of things, Hays dressed up as Willie Wiredhand, the mascot of NRECA, for the 85th Anniversary Annual Meeting.

When asked what he had learned over his time at WIN Energy REMC, Hays said that he had increased his web development skills, but most importantly, he had learned the importance of working on a team and utilizing other employees’ skills and knowledge to complete a task.

Hays is grateful for the opportunity to work at WIN Energy REMC and will continue his employment remotely as he finishes up his senior year of college. “I met a lot of cool people and built good relationships. I was challenged and had fun along the way.”